The University of Washington has completed conduct hearings for the “UW33,” a group of students accused of occupying and damaging the university’s Interdisciplinary Engineering Building in May, finding them guilty of violations and lifting their suspensions.
The anti-Israel protest on May 5, organized by Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return, demanded the university sever ties with Boeing over the company’s dealings with Israel. University officials said demonstrators caused approximately $1 million in damage to the building on the public school’s Seattle campus.
The university suspended the involved students pending the results of a conduct hearing that has been completed, Victor Balta, a university spokesperson, told JNS.
“The students have been found responsible for violations of the student conduct code and held accountable,” Balta said. “The students were out of class and banned from campus for three quarters.”
Balta added that “SUPER is not a recognized student organization and does not enjoy the benefits” of such status.
SUPER UW celebrated the lifting of the suspensions.
“Despite seven charges being used to justify the initial issuing of their suspensions, the conduct proceeding found students ‘guilty’ of only two minor violations,” SUPER UW stated in a social media post.
“Nothing justifies eight months of suspensions, loss of jobs, housing and community on campus, the police brutality sustained and the $200,000+ lost/repaid to UW,” the group added.
Balta told JNS that the suspensions resulted in forfeiture of tuition paid or repayment of tuition for students required to remain in good standing to receive financial aid, including graduate tuition-exemption grants and work-study programs.
“Once a suspension is concluded, any outstanding balances due must be paid in order to be eligible for re-enrollment,” Balta said, adding that requests to waive payments or refund tuition already paid have been denied.
SUPER UW said that “the total amounts to over $60,000, collectively,” urging supporters to call and email the school and to donate to a GoFundMe.
“Stay tuned for a celebration for the students allowed back on campus and our lessons fighting repression from our university,” the group wrote. “Long live the student intifada.”
